


Where You Draw the Line

by imaginary_golux



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Ethics, Force-Sensitive Finn, M/M, Philosophy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 06:13:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8737879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_golux/pseuds/imaginary_golux
Summary: In which Finn reacts badly to a lesson on Force Persuade, and Poe may not know all the right words, but he knows enough to be getting on with.
Beta by my ever-wonderful Best Beloved, Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw.





	

Poe is working contentedly on Black One, humming to himself as he fiddles with his lady’s engines, when Rey knocks gently on the engine housing to get his attention. He pushes out from under Black One and grins up at the newest young Jedi.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Have you seen Finn?” Rey asks anxiously. Poe frowns.

“No, isn’t he with you and Skywalker? I thought this was when you had your lessons - did I lose track of time again?”

“No, you’re right,” Rey says, looking worried. “But he got upset and left, and I thought for sure he’d come to you, but if he’s not here I don’t know where he’d be.”

“Upset?” Poe asks, genuinely concerned now, and scrambles to his feet. “About what? No, wait, never mind - you look around inside, I’ll go do a loop around the outside of the base.”

Rey grins in relief. “Thanks, Poe,” she says, and goes trotting off across the hangar. Poe heads for the outer doors.

He finds Finn halfway around the base, high on a hill, leaning against a tree and watching the clouds make incomprehensible shapes in the clear blue sky. Poe gets close enough for Finn to notice him and then pauses, waiting to see if Finn wants company. After a moment Finn shrugs and beckons Poe closer.

And because Poe is not-so-secretly bad at self-discipline, he ends up sitting down right next to Finn, so close their shoulders are warm against each other. The tree is small, he tells himself. If he wants to lean against it, he _needs_ to be this close.

Sure. Uh-huh, himself replies.

Poe ignores himself magnificently.

“So, what’s eating you, buddy?” he asks, carefully trying to keep his tone light. It has to be _something_ major, for Finn to run out on a lesson with Skywalker and hole up _here_ , away from Rey.

“Hopefully nothing,” Finn says with a ghost of a smile, and Poe grins back, remembering the _first_ time he asked Finn that and Finn just about levitated in startlement. Idioms are an ongoing exploration. “But what’s _bothering_ me is -” he sighs. “Today’s lesson was in Force Persuade.”

Poe makes an encouraging, curious noise. Finn scrubs a hand over his face and then tilts his head back against the tree, hands dangling over his bent knees. “You know, ‘These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.’ Making people do what you say. Changing people’s _minds_.”

“Ah,” says Poe, wincing. What Kylo Ren did to him was _not_ the same thing, but Poe has a near-instinctual flinch at the idea of Force-users anywhere near his mind, these days. “Yeah, I - I can see how that would be a problem.”

“It’s - I asked how that was different from reconditioning,” Finn says quietly. “How that’s different from what the First Order does, when they take all the rebellious thoughts away and leave you with nothing but obedience.”

“It’s briefer,” Poe points out, not really wanting to defend _any_ sort of mind control, but feeling like Finn probably needs someone to argue with just now.

“There’s that,” Finn sighs. “And it saved Rey’s life - that’s how she got out of the interrogation chair on Starkiller. So I can see how it’s _useful_. But I don’t think I could ever use it. It’s - I spent too long having all my control taken from me.” He shivers, just a little, and Poe presses closer, trying to give comfort with presence and silence because he can’t find the right words at all. “I can’t do that to someone else.”

“Then you can’t,” Poe says, after a few moments of thought. “I don’t think that’s a _bad_ rule to have for yourself, Finn. If you can’t do that, you can’t do it, and that’s an end to it. We don’t tell people who can’t stand heights to become fighter pilots, because it’d be stupid and counterproductive. You’re clever. You can think of other ways to do whatever needs to be done. Maybe you can - I don’t know - break restraints with the Force, instead of persuading someone to open them. Come up with workarounds.”

“Focus on using the Force on myself, rather than others,” Finn says thoughtfully. “Or on _objects_. I don’t mind lifting things -” he twitches his fingers, and a leaf lifts from the ground to dance in front of them, whirling and bobbing in place despite the breeze - “it’s just - _people_ I won’t mess with,”

“Then that’s your line,” Poe says, shrugging. “Everyone’s got one, something they won’t do no matter what. You just have to know where it is.”

Finn nods slowly, and brings another leaf up to dance with the first. They bow to each other, making Poe chuckle, and then, to Poe’s vast amusement, begin to do what’s clearly a waltz. Jess Pava has been teaching both Rey and Finn to dance, these last few months, so Poe’s not surprised Finn knows what a waltz _is_ , just that he can mimic it so accurately with a pair of leaves.

“What’s yours?” Finn asks, after a few moments of silence. “Your line, I mean?”

“I’ve got a few,” Poe says, shrugging. “I won’t betray the Resistance - not willingly, anyway.” Finn reaches over to squeeze Poe’s knee in silent comfort. “I won’t hurt children, or innocents.” He takes a deep breath. “I won’t hurt _you_.”

Finn turns to blink at Poe in surprise, the leaves falling disregarded to the ground. “Oh,” he says, quietly. Then he smiles, a slow small curve of lips that makes Poe’s breath come short. “Alright,” he says, and nods. “Then - I think I have a few, too. I won’t hurt innocents. I won’t ever leave Rey behind. I won’t use Force Persuade. And -” he turns his hand over, offering it palm-up, and Poe can’t help taking it, clasping it tightly - “and I won’t hurt _you_.”

They sit there smiling at each other over their clasped hands for long enough that Poe’s back starts to hurt, the way he’s twisted around, but he wouldn’t move for the world. It’s not until Rey’s joyful shout of triumph reaches them that Finn startles and looks away from Poe’s eyes. “Guess I should go explain to Rey and Master Luke,” he says reluctantly, and stands, though he doesn’t let go of Poe’s hand.

“Want me to come?” Poe offers, letting Finn pull him to his feet.

“No,” Finn says, “I think I’ve got to do this myself, and in any case I know you were working on Black One. But thanks. I - thanks.” He squeezes Poe’s hand gently.

Poe squeezes back. “Anytime, buddy,” he says softly. “My pleasure.”

“Still,” Finn says, “thanks.” And he doesn’t let go of Poe’s hand until they’re all the way down the hill.

Poe goes back to Black One with a song in his heart, in perfect three-quarter time.

**Author's Note:**

> I return! As ever, I am on tumblr as imaginarygolux, and would love to say hi. And, with any luck, I will be resuming a Mon-Tues-Thurs-Sat posting schedule for at least a little while!


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